


Stained Cheeks

by lostgirl966



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: AOS, Christmas, Decorating, F/M, FitzSimmons - Freeform, Fluff, proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-27
Updated: 2016-12-27
Packaged: 2018-09-12 12:24:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9071557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostgirl966/pseuds/lostgirl966
Summary: Fitz and Jemma decorate their new apartment





	

The strong smell of paint filled the small bedroom as Jemma made gentle strokes with her brush at the top of the wall. The pale blue paint seemed to almost match the afternoon sky outside the window beside the ladder she stood on. The aggressive smell of paint had begun to make Jemma dizzy. She slipped down from the ladder brushing stray hairs away from her face and turned to Fitz, who was kneeling on the floor. “Fitz, is it alright with you if I open a window? I just can’t take these fumes anymore. Plus I’m beginning to sweat.”

“Yeah sure,” Fitz said slightly distracted as he delicately painted the white baseboards. “We need to tell somebody about the fact that the thermostat isn’t working that great.”  

She pushed the heavy window open and let in the fresh air with the sounds of the street below. Jemma pulled a sharp breath through her nose reveling in the smell of the baker down below. As she turned back and found Fitz still kneeling on the floor, she couldn’t help but giggle. He was so intent on his work that he didn’t even notice her eyes on him. His tongue was sticking out slightly between his lips as he moved his brush down the wood slowly.

“Fitz, you know this is not a mission or anything. We’re just redoing some paint before we move in. It’s not a big deal.”

They had asked the landlord if it was okay for them to freshen up the paint, and he had had no complaints. He had even allowed them to pick out some new colors for the walls. So after much discussion, they found some paint that they both agreed on. Then, they put on some old dirty clothes; Jemma pulled her hair up into a messy bun on top of her head, and set about painting their new bedroom.

Fitz leaned back with a low sigh. Then his head craned backwards to look up at Jemma who had walked over to him with her hands behind her back. His dark brows were furrowed, but a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. “Of course I know that Jem. I just wanna do a good job.”

Once she reached him, Jemma leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. Little did Fitz know that behind her back she held a paintbrush covered in blue paint. “Can I have a kiss?”

He nodded with a low chuckle. Fitz then tilted his head back and closed his eyes.

Jemma swung the brush from behind her back and smacked it across Fitz’s exposed face.

“Ahhgghh!” Fitz yelled falling back onto the tarp that covered the floor. “Why on earth would you do that, you crazy woman?”

“ I just missed a spot, that’s all,” Jemma giggled, stepping back expecting the chase to begin. And she wasn’t wrong. Fitz’s picked up his brush and lunged towards her. She rushed past him and into the kitchen putting the island in between them. “Now Fitz, don’t get paint on the floor!”

His wild blue eyes were locked on her as a boyish grin spread across his face. “Oh I wouldn’t worry about the floor.” Fitz chest rose up and down as he breathed heavily holding his bush, covered in white paint, aloft. “But I would worry about that freckled face of yours.”

Jemma felt her heart race as she dashed past Fitz and back into their bedroom. But as soon as her feet hit the tarp one of Fitz’s arm encircled her waist.

“Gotcha!” Fitz shouted pulling Jemma tightly to him.

Jemma squealed as she felt the wet paintbrush being shoved into her face and in her hair. “ _Fitz_!” Jemma squealed as she tried her best to stick her brush back in his face.

Their laughter filled the room as they wrestled against each other.  Soon they both fell to the floor still shoving their brushes into each other’s face. But Jemma broke free and squirmed away holding her brush out so Fitz would keep his distance. But as soon as she looked at Fitz’s face and saw her handy work she burst with laughter.

The blue paint covered almost every inch of Fitz’s handsome face. Some had even gotten into his hair. But through the paint she saw his bright smile.

“You should see yourself,” he said, his voice filled with his beautiful laughter.

“Me? What about you?” Jemma shook her head as she collapsed onto the tarp and clutched at her sides. “Oh Fitz, we are a pair aren’t we?”

Fitz scooted over to sit beside where she lay. “Haha! That we are.” He smiled down at her the blue paint making his eyes look even more stunning. “I like being a pair,” he said in a low voice brushing some hair away from her face.

“Me too,” she replied. But then jemma caught sight of Fitz’s paintbrush beside her. She picked it up and lifted it to his face. He didn’t move, but simply let her paint a thick handlebar mustache under his nose. “There we go,” Jemma biting her lower lip as she held back fits of laughter.

“Well,” Fitz said picking up her brush, which still had blue paint on its bristles. “Now it’s my turn.” He moved the brush above her eyes, giving Jemma what she knew to be a single blue eyebrow.

“Happy now?” Jemma chuckled.

Fitz nodded. “You have always made me happy Jem.”

“Well then, come down here and give me a kiss.” She then used her hand to guide Fitz’s lips to hers. She could taste a bit of the paint on his lips, which made her smile.

When Fitz leaned back Jemma saw her white fingerprints on his blue cheeks. “Can we take a picture? This is too funny not to capture.”

Fitz threw back his head with a moan, but beamed down at her as he pulled his phone from his pocket. Then he moved to lie down beside her. They laughed in unison as they caught sight of their faces on the phone screen.

“We look like clowns,” Fitz scoffed.

“Oh Fitz, just smile,” Jemma said giving him a gentle jab in the ribs with her elbow.

* * *

Several months later, that picture of Jemma and Fitz covered in paint was in a frame that sat on a bookshelf in the apartment.  Jemma looked at it and smiled at the wonderful memory as snow fell through the cold night air outside the window beside her. She and Fitz had had their ups and downs like everyone. But they had always found their way back to each other. And in a few days all their friends would come over from Christmas lunch and they would celebrate like a real family. She smiled to herself as she thought about how Daisy had gotten the apartment for her and Fitz. She was eager to see the woman who had become the closest thing to a sister she had ever known.

But she was pulled from her daydream, as she saw Fitz’s hand waving at her. Jemma’s attention returned to the large box of baubles and ornaments that she had been handing to Fitz who stood on a ladder next to their Christmas tree. It was their first Christmas as a couple.

“Hand me that one,” Fitz said pointing in the box at a small old red ball.

“It was really nice of your mum to send us these decorations for the tree,” Jemma said handing the old red ornament to him. She stood for a moment and admired the silver tinsel and the bright lights that covered the wonderful smelling tree.

After a few more moments the decorations of the tree was done. Both Jemma and Fitz stepped back to stare at their hard work. Jemma turned to look at her boyfriend grinning. But as he looked back at her, he let out a low chuckle.

“What is it?” She inquired with raised eyebrows.

“You’ve got glitter all over your cheeks. It probably came from the decorations. ”

“Oh gosh,” Jemma replied beginning to raise her hand to wipe the glitter from her face. She and Fitz did seem to have a talent for getting stuff on their faces. But Fitz caught her hand and held it between both of his.

“Leave it,” he whispered. “It makes you look a bit like a princess, or maybe an angel. You’re absolutely glowing.”

“Oh Fitz,” Jemma blushed, staring down at her feet.

“Well it does! Maybe we should have put you on top of the tree instead of the angel mum sent.”

“You’re a silly man,” she smiled. Then leaning on tiptoe she pressed her lips to his.

* * *

The day of Christmas Eve came, and Jemma walked home from a hard day at work. She pulled her coat tighter around her exposed face. In her mind she imagined Fitz was already home and had started a fire. Oh how wonderful it would be to warm herself by the fire in the arms of the man she loved.

But when Jemma arrived home and opened the door she found that something was different about the apartment. On every doorway and occasionally in the middle of the ceiling hung mistletoe. Brightly colored lights lined the ceiling and walls. Several candles that smelled like pin and cookies were lit on the kitchen on several surfaces. “What the-.”

But Jemma didn’t get to finish her sentence, instead she saw Fitz rushing from their bedroom to meet her. He swept her up into his arms and kissed her soundly. She yelped as he picked her up, but then relaxed into his embrace and his lips.

Fitz leaned in to rub his nose against her cold one. “Hello there,” he whispered.

“Fitz, what’s with all the mistletoe and the lights?” Jemma asked as he lowered her back to the wooden floor.  

Fitz flashed Jemma a sly smile. “Just wanted more chances to kiss the woman I love. And I know how you love lights.” But then he seemed to change a bit. “And I have a feeling we’ll be kissing a lot tonight. At least I hope so.”

“Fitz I know we’ve been apart a lot, but you really didn’t have to hang all this mistletoe. I’m more than willing to kiss you whenever you’d like.”

Fitz laughed nervously. “Okay so the mistletoe, the lights and the candles isn’t all I’ve done. There’s one more surprise.”

“Oh Fitz, this is too much,” Jemma said moving forward to hug him. She sighed as she breathed in his scent. Jemma loved how he always smelled like sandalwood.

“Just close your eyes for a few minutes and I’ll guide you to it okay?”

Jemma sighed, unable to stop smiling. Fitz really was the romantic. But she did as he instructed and closed her eyes.

His gentle hands took hold of each of her shoulders and began to push her forward. It only took a minute to arrive at their destination. Fitz’s hands left her shoulders and he said, “Hold on just one more second.”

Jemma saw a change in lighting through her closed eyelids. “Can I look now?”

“Alright… now open them!”

When Jemma eyes opened she found herself in their bedroom. And then as she saw what Fitz had done her jaw dropped. Hung above their bed were letters made from strings of Christmas lights. The lights spelled out the words: _Will you marry me?_

“ _Fitz_ ,” Jemma whispered, tears beginning to surface. She turned around wildly to find him. And she did find him.

Behind her Fitz knelt on one knee hold a small red velvet box is his hand. He smiled nervously as he looked up at her. “Jemma Simmons, you are my best friend, my other half and the love of my life. You make me better. You challenge me. I can’t even begin to describe how much I love you, and I never, ever, want to be apart from you.” He gulped with his voice shaking slightly. “So will you please do me the honor of marrying me?”

Jemma didn’t respond verbally. Instead, she sank to her knees and wrapped her arms around Fitz’s neck as joyful tears streamed down her pale freckled cheeks. Her lips began kissing every inch of his face she could reach.

“So is that a yes?” Fitz chuckled tears beginning to roll down his cheeks as well.

Jemma pulled back and laughed through her tears. “Fitz of course I’ll marry you!” She crashed her lips into his and ran her hands into his hair. But she broke the kiss to hug him once more. She couldn’t seem to stop bursting with laughter. It seemed that her joy was over flowing from her lips.

“Merry Christmas my dearest Jemma,” Fitz whispered into her hair.

“Merry Christmas fiancé,” Jemma breathed with a grin as she snuggled into his warm chest. How could one be so happy from a few Christmas lights that spelled out a few simple words? But Jemma couldn’t remember ever being happier. It was not paint, or glitter on her cheeks now. Instead, it was a smile and tears of joy as she held the man she loved tightly. And she planned on never letting go.


End file.
